Dirigible spotlight



Noms, 1931.

w. H. FARR DIRIGIBLE SPOTLIGHT WILLABD I1. Fanlager cI'IIoAGo, ILLI'NoIs, AssIeNon To STEWART-WARNER con- PonaTIoN, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs,A coiaronn'isroiv or VIRGINIA DIRIGIBLE SPOTLIGHT i yr` 'application" ined Jaauary 24,*11`9ao. serial no; 423,026.

fAThis inventionrelates todirigiblyfmounti ed lights, and-more particularly to Aaispotlight ofthe insidecontrolled type especial-J lysuitable for automobilesor other vehicles .Y'The main object ofthe present `invention is` i" to providefalightfofimprovedand simpli-l f.) 'object isv to provide arrimprfovedvr control 'for n fied constructionvwhich is capable of adjustkment"throughav relatively wide rangeof vertical Aand-horizontal movement. Another a light offthis general character by means of which the lightma'y Vbe quickly` and easily inanipulatedl vA further object resides'infso Y constructing certain' elements oflthe light as mounted light V tion.

to lpermit their pre-assembly asa unit. It consists incertain ffeatures rand' elements of construction in combination as lherein shownv and described, vand-(asinicli-cated by the claims;

In the drav'vingszfy f I Figure -1 is a sideelevation ofxav dirigiblyl embodying the present inven-` Figure 2 Figure Bis a fragmentary sectional view y through the gear housing, showing the driv-lk 4ing gears outof meshfand with one ofthe lil) ` housing.'VV

- stantially Y ure 3.

a lo

' gears interloclred withthe housing proper by means of which the housingand lamplmay y' bebodily rotated'about'a longitudinal axis. Figure 4t is l' transverse f' sectional view taken Vas indicated atl linek 4 4 'on' Figure 2, illustrating means' for varying' the friction f tures ofthe housingand fixed bearing sleeve lllkj'f'by'meansof which thelampyis .limited in hits rangeof rotative'inovement about' the n longitudinal axis.

Figure 7 is 1a fragmentarjT se'ctional'viewy taken lat line Ze-7 on Figure2.

Figure 8 is alper'spectiveview of a-spring f "member employed forflocking the reflector totlie'bezel ring.

Flgu're 9 lsafragrnentary perspective View is van` enlarged sectionaly view Vtaken along a.l medial plane.

between the fixedbearing sleeve and the gear 'of lthewcasing having an upstanding lug'v 'which cooperates with the bezel ring fo 'flocking it in positiony thereon.

f.' Figure 10 is a fragmentary view looking down? upon the swivel connection of the terminal post inside the' lamp casing; f v

1 Figure 11 is a sectional view through the 'bezelring showing the arrangement ofthe spring ymemberswhich serve to lock thereflector to the bezel ring.

- 'The dirigible spotlight, as illustrated in the/drawings is designed for the purpose of playing a concentrated beam :of light -inxa certain'direction or upon a particular object,

such as along a roadway or onlsignposts, etc.

`Since a light of this general character is used only occasionally, and then frequently only momentarily, it is therefore desirable to arrange for control of the light at a point conjveniently accessible to the driver ofthe vef The light embodyingl the present' invention includes a fixed bearing sleeve 10 adapted to be secured to amounting membersuch asthecorner post of a vehicle, vas indicated atll, and rigidly secured to fsaid ybearing sleeve isa tubular guide member 12 extend- 'ing through 'and a substantial distance beiyond said postlinside of the vehiclel Preferably, although l `not necessarily, the'fixed 81dsleeve and tubular guide are mounted with their axes in a substantially horizontal plane. This guide member 12 is additionally supported ,by a bracket housing 13 which embracessaid member ron the side ofthe post opposite said bearing 10, and lis also rigidly secured to the post 11. yThe outerend of said bearing sleeve-10 isprovided with a reduced portion 14 on which is rotatably mounted a gear housing 15. Extending axially through thetubular guide member is af drive shaft "16, having journal supportat its forward end'in the'gear housing, while its rear end is secured to an 'operating knob or handle 17 which is slidably guided on the rear end of the tubular guideemember 12v.' vRigidlyse# f cured tothe forwardjend of saidshaft inside of the housing is a bevel gear 18 which' engages a vsimilar gear associated with the lam'n proper indicated generally at 20. lThus by tudinalafxis of the drive shaft. e A Since it; is'desired to normally maintain rotation of saiddriveshafu the lainp properv `is rotatable abouta transverse axis 15- additional-function by forming the.v gear v portion 14.-

The-geark housing 15 is preferably a cast 1nember,"being suit-ably cored out to receive the various'elements, and it includes a niain bore 21V extending co-axially with the tubular guide member 12and' a transverseV bore 21a, the bore21 serving as a journal bearing for the hub portion 19aof the bevel gear 19. 'The outer end of thema-in; bore preferably closed by a capineinber'22 so that the gears may be kept free from dust and dirt.V I

The lamp proper may also be rotated about Athe longitudinal axis of the driveshafuand for this purpose I utilize said shaft for this" housing 15 and drive gear 18 with detachably connectable interengaging features vin the nature* ofa; clutch'. f This clutch is-gherein shownas consisting of ay hexagonal lportion. formed as the. bodyofthe gear as shown yat 118, and asimilarly-shaped counterbore23 in the housing 15, whereby axial movement -of the rdrive shaft moves the gear 18 outof mesh with the gear 19, 'shifting the polygonal portion of the gear into cooperating engage-v Y ment with the counter-bore 23 in said housi ing.` And then upon rotating the drive shaft Vwhen the gear-18 is in such engagement with the housing, ther lamp body proper and'its supporting gear housing 115 may be rotated together about the longitudinal axis of said drive shaft. Howeven to insure against too free a nioveinent'of'the lamp about said longitudinal axis', the j )ortionof'the housingv telescoping overthe reduced portion 14 of.

saidfiixed bearing'l() is provided'with a frici tionV adjustment `by means of which the lamp may bevr frictionally maintainedl at any desired angular position relative tothe axisofv the driveV shaft. l l f 'l The iearward portion ofthe gear housing adjacent said-fixed bearing is formed with-a transverses' slot 25 extendinga substantial vdistance' throughrthe housing. and is connected by ay longitudinal split 26 opening at the end. On'the opposite sides of said longitudinal -split y26 aie formed lsuitable lugs y through which extends an adjusting screw 2S the gear 18out of clutched engagementwith the gear housingl 15, l provide a coil spring Slienconipassingsaid drive shaft and interposed between the end of said gearand a shoulder 32 forming the end of the counterbore of said housing. This coil spring thus also serves to yieldingly maintain vthe gears 18 and 19 in operative engagement; andvthus to rotate the lamp Vabout the axis of the drive YShaft, it is necessary to shiftethe shaft axially against the reaction of vsaid coil spring to bring the gear 18 into clutching engagement 'with the housing (as seen inFigure 3). To in sure rotation of the drive shaft when the gear 18v and housing are operativelyengaged, the

knob 17, which is telescopically guided on the `Mend of the guide tube 12, has secured therein a kbushing 40 adapted to be fitted onto the end of the drive shaft; and the knob .is secured in 1 place thereon bymeansof ascrew Ll1 threaded into the end of saidsliaft andabutting'against ar'ecess shoulder of said knob, Vas illustrated 'in .Figure 1', The bushing and the shaft are preferably formed Withfkeys or fiat surfaces j such'as indicated at 42, so" as to-perinit positive rotation of the shaftv by turning thelrnob. 1 -The bevel gear19 is formed. at the outer end o f'its hub 19a withy anannfular flange 50 positioned for abutting against the undersideof a ldepressed-portion 51 of alainp casing 52 and adapted to ,seat on its otherside against Vthe end of thegear housing with alfriction wash-V er linterposed therebetween@ Thisgear is formed with a reduced shank ibeyond said iange 50, provided with a :dat face 55 which interlocks in al correspondingly shapedaperturejin the lamp casingand lalso in a washer member 56, Yand threaded' on the end of said shank 5e isa nut 57 seatediirnily against said washer 56.k Extending axially through the gear 19 and through said housing 15` at right angles to the drive shaft is a'hollow stud member GOhaving ahead 61 seated against a recessedshoulder 62 in the end of said housing opposite gear 19, said stud having its op# Y posite endv threaded and provided with diametrica-ily opposite Hat portions 63, which in- Y terlock withcooperatively fornied'portions in thev bore of the reduced vportion 54 of the bevel gear 19 as seen in Figures 2 and 7)by means of which saidstud is interlocled with the Vgear 19 for rotation therewith. Vflhreaded on the upper end of said hollow stud vis a nut 65 with a spring washer V66V interposed :be- 1 tween said nut 65 andthe nut 57 This spring washer 66 is of the frustoconicaltypehavingaplurality of tangs, and as illustrated in Figure 2, one of said tangs 6152L is bent vupwards` ly to engageone of the faces ofthe nut for locking the same' in position. VItl istobe V for varying the amountrof friction on the washer 53, so that the lamp proper will not i'nove too freely with-1 respect to the housing 15.

ySince the li glitingand certain other circuits Vof vehicles such as automobiles'usually einunderstood that the nut 66 Vmay `be adjusted j ploy the'l grounded systenifwherein one teriiiinal of the storage battery of the vehicle is liti p p directly connectedto the chassis or frame, they i such systems. It will be understood that oney 4lamp isconstructedfor use in connection with terminal of the lamp will be grounded through the lamp proper to the mounting post 11, thence to the vehicle frame. Extending axially Vthrough the hollow stud'L 60ffisjan insulated conductorv Wirel 67 trained below,- and extending througlian ,aperture 102m,

thefxed bearing sleeve', thence throughthe post 11 for connection to a suitable switch in-f side the vehi.cle,suclias that indicatedk at 68 carried bythe bracket'l gV a second conductor v `wire 671v connects 'said switch' to the, other the casingof the wire 67, adjacent its end in said stud isa head portion 69` adapted to seat against the shoulder 70 formedin the nut 65 the wire extendiiiga short 'distance into an in#v sulating bushingk 71 mounted on top-ofthe nut 65 and withy the 'conductor wire proper s 72 vextending therethrough and soldered or formed to straddle Welded toaterminal 78se`ated kfirmly oiiffptlie bushing washer 7l. .Thisterminaljisformed with abuttonhead 74 having anfunderry cut j groove 7 5 for; swivel ,engagement bya terminal connection 76 which is provided withfafV central spring tang 77 shaped to yieldingly snap over ythe, buttonhead 74, anda pairyof .spaced prongs 78 on each'side of said tang said button headL in thil groove 75,

Y It Vwill be 'apparent thatby meaiisofthis arrangement the 'connecting member76 may be swiveled withrespectto the terminal 7 3 for; maintaining proper contact at all times.

Extending vrupwardly from-l said :terminal connection 76 is ash'ort conductor member 79 secured atits upper enclin a nut 8O threaded on the outer end of the screw terminal memf yber 81. fThis screw terminal member 81 is supported in the socket 82rwhich is centrally I secured and projects rearwardly froma re-V iiector- 83. Said socket is provided with the usual bayonet type of slots v'in which arel engaged the lugs on ythe base of' the electric lightbulb 84 in the'rusual manner; the arrangement ofthe parts being such that the central contact indicatedat 85 at the vend 4of the base engages the head ofthe terminal screw member 81 ,and in order to'insui'e con# tact at all times, the screw member 81v is yield-v ingly `forced in the direction for engagement with said contact by means `of a coil spring 86 encompassing said screw member Sla-nd interposed between a pair of insulating disks 87 and 88, respectively, Vthe former being slidably movablefwith said screw member l81 inside of rthe socket, whilethe insulating disk 88 is permanently anchored in the rearend of said socket.y i y y The casing 52 is ofthe usual approximately hemispherical shape having the marginal edge formed with an -inwardlyoliset annular` `lian'ge'90 on which is mountedtlie bezel ring terminal of the storagerhattery, Secured on 91'carrying4as a unitaryia'sseinbly the reflector S-Bfandythe lens 92 with a packing gasket 93 interposed between said lens and reflector.` The outer marginal edge of the reflector; is formed in a transverse annular flange 9a ,continuing in an annular flange port1on95 extending parallel to the axis of said reflector. yTh'e lens 92 is seated on the' flange v 94ongtop of the gasket 93` and is secured in place by an inwardly extending annular? ring portion 9 6 of the bezel ring, and the ,bezel ring is :formed at itsrear edge with kan inwardly extending flangeportion 97 a short distance rearward of the liange9et of said reflector. The reflector-is yieldingly secured to thebezel ring with the lens locked in positionxby means of three spring members 98 spaced at suitable distances around said re,- flector.,l vThese springs are formed witha central :portion99adapted to engage againstV therear side of thek flat fiange portion 94 of f the reflectoiyand leg po-rtions 100,eXtending in `the inwardlybent flange portion 97 ofthe bezel ring, asshown in Figures 2 and. 11. Thus the bezel, ring, lens and reflector, to-

'lgether withthe socket and electric light bulb niayvbe pre-assembled as a separate unit for mounting in the lamp casing. VSuch an ar-y rangement facilitatesassembly of the parts and, reduces manufacturing costs aswell as rendersrepair and replacement of parts ielathreaded in an obliquely extending lug 106- ofthe washer member 56, thus serving to positively ylockthe bezel ring andits assem-y bledy elements in' position inthe casing.

It will nowpbefevident that by means ofk such an arrangement, theprocess of replacing an electric' light4 bulbor inspecting the parts of thela'mp `within the casing may be quickly and .easily performed by merely removing thev screw 105, thus permitting the removal ofthev entire praassembled unit. Then by removing springs 98, the bezel, lensy and reflector mayl be separated. By means of the swivel connection tothe terminal 73, the

connecting member 76 may be I rotated or i. readily deta ched so that the unit proper may be removed from Vthe lamp casing andltransported to any convenient place foradjust mentor replacement of the parts.

vI claim x f s Qfijom. saidcentralportion in -opposite direc-y ,i tions ,and adapted to have their ends lodgedV llO `1. In a dirigible light, the combination ot `tending I also through such partition, said y a fixed support and a housing ltelesc'op'ically engaged therewith for rotation about said support, togetherwith alainp carried'by said housing, an Vexternal Vmember of said ltelescopically engaged parts :being contractable y orrictional hold upon the internal member, i the latter having a circumferential'.groove j and the vvformer-having a vclamping bolt tan genti'ally disposed with respect to said groove a'ndlodgedwithin it, whereby said bolt serves for adjustment of the friction Aand simultaneously'locks-'said parts againstseparation.

2. In a?dirigibleY light, the combination ot' a -fixedsupporhy a housing vcarrieil by-vsaid support for rotation thereon, la shattextendingv through the support into the housing along Athe `axis otsuch rotation, a lamp se.- cured to the support'for rotation abouta 'transverse axis, a gear-rigid with the lamp and disposed-'within the housing, and aV gear s viixed on said shaft 'adapted to mesh Vwith the first-mentioned gear for rotating the lamp on the, housing, the shaft and its gear being longitudinally shiftable, ythe body' ot said gear beii'ignon-circular and the housing having anon-circular recess to receive vthe `gear -body When the shaftis shifted-so that or 'rotation ofthe shaftmay serve to turn the housing on its support.v Y l 3. In a dirigible light the combination of a" fixed support,-ahousing carriedfby said support 'for rotation thereon, a lamp casingand a stern therefor rotatively journaled' in the housing,said stemcomprising the body` of' a gear Whose teeth lare disposed in the Vhousing to mesh with theteeth of an operating gear therein, said gear body having a flange and Y a reduced threaded portionV beyondfsaid flange, the lamp casing being clamped against one side of saidV flange by means"l of a nut screwed onto said reduced portion and the opposite side v'of 'said flange being Ystopped against yan external shoulder said housing, said gear body having an V`vaxial bore vwitha headed retaining bolt exwhereby vsaid 'bolt servesto produce yfriction at said' shoulder resisting rotation of the lamp casing on the housing.

support having an aperture adjacent the bore and the conductor emerging'from the hollow bolt being led through said aperture to ex-v tend through the` partition Vadjacent said shaft ;V the housing and support having interengageable features adapted for limiting the range ofirotation of thehousingabout the support Eto avoid injuryfto the conductor.

6.In a 'diri'gible light, a fixed support, a housing carried by 'saidl support, a lampk mounted on the housing-'and rotatable :relative thereto and including a casing and an electric light bulb carried therein, a drive shaft journaled'in said housing and rotatable f about a longitudinal axis', a gear on the end of'pfsaid shaft, normally meshed with acooperating `gear rigidly associated with the lamp, a hollow LstudV extending transversely to fsaid shaft throughv said last mentionedY gear into the lamp casing, aconductorv wire extending through-said hollowI-stud, a terminai post carried* -byand *insulated from .v tang intermediate said prongs adapted to engagey the terminal head for yieldingly main-V n taining said parts in engagement.

7. `In the combination defined in claim 6, saidlterminal head being ot'buttoii'tormation and saidspring tang of the clip being cooperatively forined whereby to permit free .swivelliiig'ofsaid parts while engaged.

j YILLARD 'H, FARB. u

4.. In the lcombination defined iii claim n3, 1 j

said bolt beinghollow to accommodate -an insulatedconductor wire extending therel through and providedwith connectionsin-v 'side the casing vfor energizing an electric lamp therein.kv l' f 5. In `the combination' vdefined'in claim '3,

Y said bolt :being'hollo'w to accommodate an insulatedfconductor extending therethrough" a bore throughwhich a shaft-for said operat-y ing gear is adapted to extend, said" shaft ex-y 

